Nameostosuchus
PronunciationOEST-oh-SOOK-uss
Meaningost crocodile
Animal Type:Archosaur
Dietary Type:Carnivore - (herbivore eating cannibal)
Size:Up to 6 metres long, able to rear up 2 metres tall
Weight:Just under a tonne
Major Fossil Finds: Petrified Forest in Arizona, USA
Year:222 to 215 million years ago Late Triassic period
Evidence
There have been several finds in the Petrified Forest in Arizona, and Post Quarry in Texas. Postosuchus was an archosaur ("ruling reptile"), a major group of living and extinct reptiles that includes crocodiles, dinosaurs, pterosaurs and birds. Postosuchus was on the line to crocodiles, but it was not a crocodile itself.
Postosuchus evolved in the Late Triassic period. It was the top carnivore of the age. Its skull was short and broad, but it had a narrow snout and deep powerful jaws. Heavy-duty armour consisting of rows of plates covered its long back.
It had a unique upright stance with straight legs directly beneath its body suggesting a quick and efficient runner. It is sometimes called a "running crocodile". It had longer back legs than front legs. Some palaeontologists believe it ran on two legs, but the majority think that it did so on four.
发表于 2008-2-22 23:56:54
ostosuchus